The Forestry Development Authority (FDA), which hold the mandate for the conservation, protection and sustainable management of its forest resources welcomes the lifting of Sanction on Liberia Timber by the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) on 20 June 2006.

The FDA said it is grateful for this gesture and has commended President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, for exerting all effort to put in place the necessary mechanism for meeting the conditions, which were prerequisite to the lifting of sanctions.

The FDA said it considers the lifting of sanction as a great challenge and opportunity that requires the concerted effort of all Liberians in making sure that those practices that will undermine the effort of the International community are strictly prohibited at all times.

Meanwhile, the FDA says it is pleased to inform the general public that absolutely no body is allowed to produce logs for export since in fact no one presently owns a concession in Liberia.

The FDA said it is now more vigilant than ever before to making sure that no export permit will basined by anyone from FDA to any individual or company to export round logs or sawn timber until further order.

"Therefore anyone caught exporting logs or sawn timber will be considered as a violator of Executive Order #1 and shall face the full weight of the laws of Liberia relative to such violation," the agency warned.

However the FDA, through the Forest Reform Monitoring Committee (FRMC), is doing its utmost to put in place Laws and Policies that are subject to legislative approval on the exportation of logs and sawn timber from Liberia.